Chapter: 309
A room filled with silence.
Sitting still and staring into space, Cheol Ji-seon’s mind is filled with memories from a few days ago.
The words spoken by the divine being he encountered in the dead of night still linger.
– “Jegal Jinseon, I guess that’s the right way to call you.”
A clear voice that seems to echo in his ears.
Chomp.
As he recalls it, his hand instinctively clenches into a fist.
At the same time, the smiling face of the divine being flashes through his mind.
“How did you know?”
His own identity.
The tale that he is not Cheol Ji-seon, but Jegal Jinseon is a secret only he knows.
Well, Cheol Hwan-oh, who’s currently serving as an instructor, knows as well.
But Cheol Hwan-oh is not the type to spread gossip.
Cheol Ji-seon is well aware of that.
So then, how on earth does the divine being know?
“How could you possibly… How could you possibly?”
He couldn’t comprehend it.
How could the divine being know about him?
Moreover,
Not just about his identity.
The divine being knew something else too.
– “How… how do you know that…?”
He shouted, unable to conceal his trembling voice.
– “Please calm down.”
The divine being chuckled and gestured.
– “How am I supposed to calm down right now…!”
– “If I only knew the name, I wouldn’t have bothered looking for you.”
The face of the divine being spoke those words.
It somehow felt extremely icy.
Even though he was clearly smiling.
At that expression, Cheol Ji-seon involuntarily flinched.
He had to try hard to keep his eyes steady.
– “What do you mean all of a sudden…?” – “I know you have a goal.”
– “…!”
At the words uttered by the divine being, Cheol Ji-seon swallowed hard.
– “It will be a very arduous path to fulfill that goal.”
– “…What are you trying to say?”
– “I will assist you on your journey.”
The moment he heard those words from the divine being, Cheol Ji-seon’s expression soured.
How did the divine know about his identity?
And he couldn’t fathom how he knew about his goal.
Because that was even stranger.
– “…Do you know what my goals are?”
And it was understandable.
If the divine being knew what his goal was,
Then there is no way the divine should be able to say that.
But,
– “The revival of the Jegal family. You desire that, don’t you?”
– “…!”
The divine being’s expectations came off as absurd, but surprisingly, he struck right at Cheol Ji-seon’s sensitive spot.
For the son of the leader of the Murim Alliance to say something like this is extremely peculiar.
The history of the Jegal family.
In a sense, it is like a scar for the Murim Alliance.
– “…How did… How did you know that?”
Cheol Ji-seon felt utterly flustered.
Yet, the divine only continued to smile and speak.
– “If you help me, I will help you with your goal.”
– “…Why on earth would you want to help me? What do you expect from me?”
– “There are numerous reasons, but primarily, it’s because only you can help me in this matter.”
– “What does that mean?”
What could the divine want from him, a seemingly incompetent person?
What on earth could he desire from him?
Cheol Ji-seon questioned with his eyes trembling.
And immediately, the divine being answered.
– “I would like to borrow some of your ‘strength’.”
… Crunch!
At the last words uttered by the divine, Cheol Ji-seon ground his teeth together.
That’s precisely what was giving him such a headache now.
‘How… did you find out about that?’
After the promise made with his sister,
It was a power he had kept hidden for nearly a dozen years.
There were only a handful of people who knew about his secret, and excluding his sister, there were hardly more than three.
Moreover, those people weren’t the types to divulge secrets.
‘It has to stay that way.’
It must remain so.
Otherwise, no one would ever believe him.
‘How… on earth should I deal with this?’
He thought he had a thorough plan in mind.
But everything felt like it was unraveling.
Where did it go wrong, and where should I even start untangling it?
Cheol Ji-seon shut his eyes tightly, feeling dazed.
‘…I just want to go back.’
What would happen if he rejected the divine’s offer?
He didn’t want to visualize it, but when he looked into the divine’s eyes, he felt exposed.
The option of rejecting meant he never intended to offer it in the first place.
‘Sister…’
He thought of his sister waiting somewhere far.
He had to calm down, at least for her sake.
Is it truly possible that the divine can help him?
How will you even help me?
No matter how divine, they’re still recent to the game.
Even if he’s the only son of the faction leader, does he really possess the capability?
While rumors certainly suggest as much.
The divine being Cheol Ji-seon saw felt strangely unsettling.
‘…But if it’s unavoidable, then I have no choice but to accept it…’
“Hey, you!”
Knock knock.
While he tried to close his eyes tightly and redirect his thoughts,
Someone tapped Cheol Ji-seon’s shoulder a few times.
“…!”
Perhaps it was because he was too focused.
Cheol Ji-seon didn’t even notice someone had approached him.
“Ugh!”
He was so startled that he almost toppled over backward.
The person in front reached out and caught him.
“Ah…! Thank you!”
“Did I surprise you? My bad.”
The bright smile was refreshingly charming.
So handsome, it almost made him flinch.
Cheol Ji-seon scrutinized the person in front of him, wondering what they were doing here.
‘Who is this person?’
It didn’t take long for Cheol Ji-seon to figure it out.
It was only natural,
Especially since there was already a lot of chatter around.
– “Wasn’t that person from another group? What’s he doing here?”
– “With those shaman clothes and that face… Is that definitely the Sleeping Dragon?”
– “Sleeping Dragon? The Sleeping Dragon is here?”
All the nearby members turned their gazes toward the person standing before the iron fence.
Because the figure in front was indeed someone significant.
It could hardly be helped.
He was one of the Six Dragons and Three Peaks.
A young swordsman recognized as a promising figure of the Martial Arts.
Because he was indeed the Sleeping Dragon.
“So, Sleeping Dragon?”
“That’s correct. I’m that famous sleepyhead.”
As Cheol Ji-seon stammered, the Sleeping Dragon laughed again at his response.
“I called you multiple times, but you didn’t respond, so I poked you a bit. My apologies.”
“Oh, no… What brings you to me…?”
“Ah, the reason I came to find you is none other…”
What business does the famous Sleeping Dragon have with him?
A strange sensation washed over him.
‘Could it be that this person too…’
Could he know something about his identity or power?
As that thought crossed Cheol Ji-seon’s mind, he felt a twinge of fear.
But unexpectedly,
The words that came from the Sleeping Dragon’s mouth were completely unforeseen.
“I also want to join the Iron and Steel Party. Please accept me.”
“Yes?”
“What party?”
Cheol Ji-seon’s face involuntarily scrunched up.
Because he had just heard words he’d never encountered in his life.
“What… what party are you talking about?”
“Isn’t it Iron and Steel? Or was it Tin?”
Onion? Tin? What strange words are those?
As Cheol Ji-seon asked, visibly puzzled,
The Sleeping Dragon tilted his head at his response.
“I… don’t quite get what you mean.”
“Jinryong told me. He said if you want to join our faction, go find the leader and ask for permission.”
The familiar sound echoed in Cheol Ji-seon’s ears.
True Dragon.
He had to swallow his breath without even realizing it; that name brought back dizzying memories.
Not one situation had returned to normal after entering that nickname.
Gulp.
“…I see. So why did the Sleeping Dragon come to see me…?”
He didn’t want to get involved in whatever ridiculous nonsense the guy was up to.
If things got tangled, who knows what kind of disaster would unfold.
So he asked, keeping that in mind. The Sleeping Dragon answered.
“Huh? I came because you told me to get permission?”
“What?”
What on earth does that mean?
To enter a place that is either Iron-coated or Steel-coated,
Why on earth would you need my permission?
– “Jinryong said so.”
– “He told me to go see the leader and ask for permission.”
At the words the Sleeping Dragon cheerfully uttered,
In that moment, Cheol Ji-seon felt his heart sink.
“No way, this can’t be happening.”
Nightmarish visions filled his mind.
There’s no way Jinryong could be that crazy.
No, he absolutely shouldn’t be. Please, no!
Such strong and earnest wishes crumbled so easily.
Much to Cheol Ji-seon’s shock.
Jinryong was even crazier than expected.
“Mad Dog Cheoljiseon, I’ve heard you are the leader of a faction.”
At the words that the Sleeping Dragon casually stated.
“Can I join as well?”
The surrounding atmosphere froze instantly.
It felt as if a cold, blizzard-like chill had settled in.
“Gulp… gulp…”
“What’s with that reaction?”
Seeing Cheol Ji-seon appear to be in such shock he couldn’t even breathe properly,
The Sleeping Dragon was momentarily taken aback.
“Get a grip. Are you alright?”
As the Sleeping Dragon held onto Cheol Ji-seon with concern,
The surrounding crowd began to murmur again, breaking the silence.
Of course,
The subject matter was completely different from before.
– “Leader? Are you saying Jinryong wasn’t the leader?”
– “Actually… I overheard a conversation between Jamryong and Jinryong at the restaurant earlier. Honestly, I thought it was all fake. So it was true?”
– “Mad Dog? He looks weak on the outside, but is he actually a sleeping lion?”
“No! That’s not true!”
Hearing the murmurs, Cheol Ji-seon shouted in frustration.
How did such absurd rumors start spreading, and why were people starting to believe them so easily?
“I’m not like that!”
– “Hey! Jin-seok! Snap out of it! Why are you fainting all of a sudden?”
– “Jin-seok fainted from the roar of the mad dog!”
– “The wicked leader isn’t Jinryong… he’s truly the Mad Dog!”
“…”
Even the spectator who had been harassing him fainted.
This was all due to more than just his own roar.
It was like a butterfly effect resulting from the memories of being tormented by Jinryong.
Now, it felt like everything was uncertain.
“Ah….”
The remaining time in Shinryonggwan.
It seemed like a complete failure was on the horizon.
“So, will you accept me?”
Meanwhile, observing the Sleeping Dragon continue to probe,
Cheol Ji-seon replied.
“… Do as you wish.”
His tone was completely devoid of spirit.
It was such a sacred issue.
About himself, and he had forgotten everything.
Cheol Ji-seon remained in a daze for a while.
Suddenly, he spat out words into the air.
“Jinryong… you scoundrel.”
It was the first curse he’d ever uttered in his life.
“Huh?”
“What’s the matter, brother?”
“Woo-cheol, did you swear at me?”
“How could that be?”
Pae Woo-cheol responded with horror at Gu Yangcheon’s words.
Would anyone dare to curse in front of Gu Yangcheon without a hint of sanity left?
“Really? I felt like someone was cursing at me.”
Gu Yangcheon looked puzzled.
“I have a knack for picking up on such things. There are just so many folks around me who curse.”
“There was no one around.”
“Is that so? Must have been my imagination.”
That could be possible. Cursing is something that often happens throughout one’s life.
Even if it had happened, I wouldn’t have paid much attention.
Of course, if I had seen it with my own eyes—
‘I would’ve folded it into a star shape.’
“… huh?”
As he entertained such cruel thoughts, Pae Woo-cheol stiffened next to him.
It seemed he sensed some sort of menace in the air.
“Brother.”
“Hmm?”
“About that Sleeping Dragon from earlier?”
“Yeah.”
At Pae Woo-cheol’s words, Gu Yangcheon perked up.
Out of the blue, they began discussing the Sleeping Dragon.
“Why even mention Ji-seon?”
“Why? Was that strange?”
Pae Woo-cheol scratched his cheek at Gu Yangcheon’s answer.
“Not necessarily strange, but I was just wondering if it was necessary to bring that up…”
If someone wanted to reject him, so be it.
If they’d rather accept him, then just accept him.
But why add another rumor onto Cheol Ji-seon unnecessarily?
Pae Woo-cheol seemed curious about that.
‘Oh…’
Gu Yangcheon felt a tinge of admiration at the sight.
Because it truly seemed like a smarter kid than he initially thought.
“It wasn’t planned, but I thought it could come in handy.”
Maximizing the rumors surrounding the Iron Line.
It wasn’t a necessity, but he felt it was required.
Not only for preventing harassment towards Cheol Ji-seon.
But also, to place a certain reputation on the guy involved.
Furthermore,
“Besides, the Sleeping Dragon was likely not to be fooled.”
“Huh?”
In a teasing way.
The Sleeping Dragon likely wouldn’t have been duped.
After all, this was someone who had always struggled with lies.
From the moment the words were uttered,
The Sleeping Dragon’s face had already shown a playful hint.
‘It was as if he never believed it from the start.’
If it was indeed a joke, it seemed to have turned into sincerity.
It was not impossible that he approached the Iron Party directly.
One could certainly wonder if that would happen.
‘… It could’ve been.’
But there’s no guarantee.
Because it’s something he’s likely to have done.
In that regard, he was definitely not in his right mind.
After all, he was a peculiar fellow from the start.
“That’s enough for today.”
At that, he mentally counted up the stimulation to his body.
He said this to Pae Woo-cheol.
“Ugh…!”
As a result, Pae Woo-cheol collapsed onto the ground.
It seems that he’d reached his limit.
At the plea that came forth as if he clung to him,
That is how Gu Yangcheon was providing training sessions.
Although it did happen quite rarely.
“I can manage this much; it’s not that difficult.”
Pae Woo-cheol was indeed keeping up well, and it was rather entertaining.
While Gu Joyang’s reaction was better than average.
It was something he’d noted while thinking about his lessons.
‘Since then, he hasn’t approached me at all.’
Even if their factions and quarters were different,
If his aim was to take him as a disciple, he had expected him to come and reach out.
It seemed he truly was living a life almost devoid of disturbance.
If asked how much.
It appeared that the fellow disciples of the dojo didn’t even know a dragon was walking amongst them at Shinryonggwan.
He seemed to be living while keeping his presence extremely low-key.
Conversely, stories of a certain woman named Vivi, who appeared to be merrily roaming about, often floated around.
He had heard she was referred to as the Hard Rain or something akin to that.
To be honest, he was unsure.
‘About Gu Yeonseo…’
From what he gathered from Namgungbia, it was said that the two had been spotted together a lot lately.
He had no clue what her intentions were.
Yet, given they claimed there was no issue, he figured it could be left alone for the time being.
After all, it was none other than Namgungbia; she ought to handle her own business…
‘Perhaps.’
He left behind Pae Woo-cheol, who had collapsed from exhaustion, and exited the training ground.
As long as one kept their wits about them, things would naturally resolve themselves.
Because he had warned them in advance.
The time since arriving had almost reached two weeks plus a few extra days.
The acclimatization at Shinryonggwan was nearing its end.
In Youngpung’s case, he did cross paths with him occasionally during training.
It was somewhat tricky to call him out, as he usually found himself surrounded by others.
‘Is it because they’re so impressive?’
Well, that could very well be the situation.
With a handsome face and an endearing demeanor, it’s no wonder he was always in good company.
In contrast…
‘… people looked at me like a beast.’
Feeling a pang of injustice, but what more could be done?
If one was born that way, they simply had to endure and carry on.
Suddenly, a remark from Dang So-yeol while observing Yeongpung and the Sleeping Dragon resurfaced in his mind.
“Just looking at them makes me feel nauseous.”
“Really?”
“Yes, I don’t know if it’s a physiological or psychological response. Something about it feels wrong.”
He’d said something similar in response to Namgung Cheonjun and Jang Seonyeon.
It seemed like Dang So-yeol had an aversion to handsome men overall.
Then there was Dang So-yeol, who nodded while gazing at Gu Yangcheon.
“After all…. Seeing Confucius clears my mind completely. He’s the best; I could probably spend my life just looking at his face!”
“…”
That was not exactly the kind of compliment he had hoped for.
As he walked with those various thoughts, time was slipping away until he would return to his room for sleep.
Although he was in a bit of a rush.
He had someone he needed to meet.
The destination was a walking path.
The same route he had taken to find the note last time,
And also the location where he had previously encountered the person he was on his way to meet now.
As he approached his destination,
A faint floral scent wafted through the night air.
It was definitely the aroma of plum blossoms.
Rich yet somehow soft at the same time.
Creeping quietly, he reached his goal.
There, from a distance, awaited someone looking for Gu Yangcheon.
“I apologize for keeping you waiting.”
At his words of apology, the woman turned her head.
With that, her long black hair swayed gently.
“How should I address you? Should I call you instructor?”
At Gu Yangcheon’s remark, the woman gave a faint smile.
It was a uniquely lovely smile.
“It doesn’t matter. You can call me whatever you like. But more importantly, I want to hear why you beckoned to me at this late hour.”
The woman’s true identity turned out to be…
One of the few esteemed masters representing the Mount Hua Sect.
And currently involved as an instructor at Shinryonggwan.
Seeing her, Gu Yangcheon flashed a small smile.
“To get straight to the point, there’s something I wish to advise you on.”
Geom-hu tilted her head at Gu Yangcheon’s words.
Gu Yangcheon’s purpose for visiting Shinryongwan was truly to seek this out,
Something that needed to be addressed as quickly as possible.
“Would you like to strike a deal with me?”
A task regarding a note in the depths of Shinryongwan.
It was essential to address this before it became too late.
And for that, he needed the instructor’s assistance.
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